Summer Reading With A Twist

This has been another busy month with me working several extra shifts to accommodate vacations. We've seen some rain here on the porch, for which we are most grateful, followed by soaring temperatures. Still, we haven't come close to those southern states with thermometers topping up in the triple digits. We've ranged from low eighties to high nineties.

Summer reading is a hot topic in the writing world these days. Everyone is buzzing about the greatest books, giveaways abound, and many humid summer evenings are spent between the pages of an irresistible read.

Summer reading holds a little different meaning for me. Since I am a member of the local library board, I am in close touch with the programs offered. Our main event after school lets out is the summer reading program.

The theme of this year’s program is "Be Creative". The kick-off featured a magician who fascinated the children with many tricks while all the time emphasizing the importance of reading and the value of the library. Other programs will include flower arranging, photography, music, and acting.

Of course, we writers know that scribing words on paper is undoubtedly one of the creative arts. I happened to make mention of that at our board meeting the other evening, and before I knew it, I had been volunteered to present a program on writing to the little ones.

I’m excited and a bit nervous. I have almost a month to come up with a program that will hold the interest of young, impressionable minds while entertaining them at the same time. My thoughts are running toward the idea of talking briefly about the basic elements of a story in very simple terms, then engaging the children to collectively write a story that could maybe even be printed in the local newspaper.

I could sure use some advice! Thoughts, anyone?

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Interview with Author Deborah Vogts

It's warm and sunny on the porch this afternoon with a breeze that is rapidly working up to a strong wind. We wonder if our granddaughter's machine pitch baseball team will be able to play with all the dust. Today, it is my pleasure to bring you an interview with debut novelist Deborah Vogts.

Deborah, welcome to Patti’s porch. This is an exciting month for you with the release of your book, Snow Melts in Spring. Tell us about your story.

It sounds like you hold the area you write about, The Flint Hills, very dear. Is this the part of the country where you grew up?

First, thank you for having me on your blog, Patti. To answer your first question, I didn’t grow up in the Flint Hills, but I went to college at Emporia State University where I took a Flint Hills Folklife course taught by Dr. Jim Hoy. Along with classroom study, we took field trips into the heart of the Flint Hills and visited with old-time ranchers, schoolmarms and post-mistresses. It was such a delightful experience, especially our drives into the pastures. We would get on these back roads and drive over pasture guards into the open range. We would travel for miles without seeing another car or even an electric line—just pure, native prairie. That summer, I fell in love with the Flint Hills and it has stayed with me all this time. I’m so glad I have this chance to share this place with my readers in this book and in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series.

You have planned a book launch party. Tell us about it.

Actually, I’m having two launch parties. One in the Flint Hills, and one in my home town. I really wanted to have a launch where my book takes place—and my fictional town of Diamond Falls is loosely based on Cottonwood Falls, set in the heart of the Flint Hills. The Flint Hills Book Launch will take place in Cottonwood Falls on June 12 & 13. At this launch, I’ll be giving away a “Getaway to the Flint Hills” prize, featuring a one-night stay at 1874 Stone House B&B plus a three-course dinner for two at Grand Central Hotel and Grill. Both of those prizes were donated, so I’m thrilled to promote their generosity!

The local book launch takes place in my home church on June 27, where I’ll have two more giveaways and all of the book proceeds will go to a Kenyan Orphanage Mission Project.
I’m looking forward to both of them, as a way to celebrate this first book in the series! If interested, readers can learn more about these launches on my web site at www.deborahvogts.com

How long have you been writing?

I wanted to be a writer since high school, but it wasn’t until 2002 that I began taking serious steps to get to the goal. I joined a local writer’s group and ACFW, (an online writing organization), joined a critique group, read writing how-to’s and attended writing conferences. I met my first agent at the ACFW Nashville Conference. We hit it off at our meeting, and she gave me some tips on making my book series “bigger.” I did that and submitted my idea to her and she took me on. We shopped Snow Melts in Spring and the Seasons of the Tallgrass series for a year and had a few bites (one of them Zondervan) but no sale. In the end, she released me, which was a real heart breaker. However, we don’t always see the big picture like God does, and six months later I signed with agent, Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary, and we had an offer from Zondervan three months after that.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

Learning about my characters is most rewarding. It is so fun to discover something new about a character you’re writing about—when that new thing suddenly pops onto the page that you didn’t know. And hearing from readers who have enjoyed my book is double rewarding.

Least favorite?

Writing to deadline.

Plotter or SOTP?

A little of both. I am required to put together a synopsis of the story before the story is even finished for marketing purposes, so I have that to go on. From there, I’ll break the story into thirds and try to plot out the chapters more as I go, but there is quite of bit of freedom for SOTP’s writing.

Give us a preview of your next book, Seeds of Summer.

Seeds of Summer is about a former Miss Rodeo Kansas who returns to the Flint Hills to run her deceased father’s ranch and care for her two younger siblings. It’s a story about lost dreams and learning to put your future in God’s hands.

Any advice for unpublished writers?

Just that this business is not for the faint of heart. You have to be determined to see your dreams through. When you receive rejections, cry and scream if you need to but don’t give up. Keep dreaming, studying the craft, and reading. Stay tuned to what God wants for you and let scripture keep you afloat. Learn to depend on God for everything—every step of the journey. Just knowing that He is in charge and knows what is best for you, helps to alleviate the pressure of “getting published” so that you’re able to ENJOY the journey AND life.

Thanks for a great interview, Deborah. Best of luck with all your release of Snow Melts in Spring and the other books in your Seasons of the Tallgrass series.

Thank you again, Patti, for having me. Many blessings to you & your readers this summer! ;)


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